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  Chapter 7 – Memories

  The granite pedestal began to descend. The ring of permafrost surrounding it descended with it. After a short journey downward I was embraced again by the warm yellow glow of fire trapped in glass. The pedestal stopped at a small room dominated by a single dark wooden door. I opened the door. A strange sense of familiarity filled me.

  "Hello," said a familiar voice. I was completely disarmed; the sound of another being overwhelmed me. Such a simple word. I stammered in reply, "H-hello." "Please have a seat." I walked up to the vacant chair in the room and sank into its soft cushions. I just stared in bewilderment at my host.

  "Do you recognize me?" the mysterious man looked at me with a smirk. The features were so familiar, where had I seen them, I had seen them in here. "I've seen you before in here, I can't remember where." "Think, friend." It struck me like a sledgehammer.

  "You look just like me; I remember it from my reflection in the wells." "Excellent, we may begin, I know you have questions but I assure you my useful knowledge is limited to exactly what I'm about to tell you." I leaned towards my friendly doppelganger. I sat half in awe and half in joy for the offer of companionship.

  "This study is the room of reflection. I look like you because I am you. I am the summation of all your past experiences and memories outside of this place. There is an outside world. There is a way to travel between the two worlds though collectively you and I have only discovered entrances not exits. You found your entrance in the desert; I found mine here in this room. This room represents a way point on your journey, as well as another challenge.

  You're not dead. Not in the traditional sense anyway, for the time being it is fair to say you are dead to the outside world, but if you make it… and if we can be reunited permanently you will very much no longer be dead.

  Now that we are in the room of reflection together I can see that you've suffered quite a lot to get this far on your quest. Your presence and suffering here is a result of your actions in the outside world.

  Before you get upset with yourself, or me; though there isn't really a distinction, you should know that you didn't specifically volunteer for this. You've been selected. Why and what for is a mystery to me. Because I am only a vessel of your memories I lack the deductive tools that you posses to figure any of this out.

  Lastly, this room is the link to your past. I cannot and would not stop you from reliving your past, but I must warn you that every memory you cherish and moment you revisit will make leaving this room even harder. You cannot take anything but this conversation with you from this room.

  We aren't the first to visit the room, and I cannot tell you why I know these things about this place. All I can tell you is to keep trying. If you are interested now you may relive any of your past memories through the books in this room, each is a different memory. Remember, you cannot take anything you find in here with you, even your name."